“At a time when absolutely everything felt uncertain, Ronald McDonald House gave us somewhere to belong,” Melissa said. “It gave us a home when we were suddenly so far away from our own. It gave us somewhere to sleep, somewhere to breathe, somewhere to eat, and somewhere to gather ourselves before walking back into the hospital.”
Ronald McDonald House also gave them opportunities to step away and enjoy moments together as a family.
One of those was an invitation to the Brownlow Medal – something her football mad sons couldn’t believe.
“For those hours, the boys weren’t the brothers of a critically ill baby. They laughed. They were excited. They made memories,” Melissa said.
The family was also guests at Godolphin’s Northwood Park in Seymour, where the property’s gardens, homestead and horses offered a rare stretch of calm – and some equine therapy – amid the uncertainty of Sienna’s care.
After 122 days, Sienna was able to go home. Today, she is doing remarkably well, though she still requires additional care and regular appointments. Ronald McDonald House remains there for them, with Melissa and Nick welcome to stay any time they return to Melbourne for that ongoing support.
“Honestly, it feels like we won the Melbourne Cup last year,” Melissa said. “We are still celebrating as we get to wake up and cherish her every day. Every cuddle, every smile, every laugh, and every new achievement reminds us just how incredibly precious life is.”
Melissa was so grateful for Ronald McDonald House that she wanted to give back, spending time at Flemington on Oaks Day selling Pin & Win pins.
Although she didn’t don a dress and hat for the occasion – “I was in a Ronald McDonald House T-shirt!” she laughed – she did allow herself a few moments of self-care. “For those few hours, my mind wasn’t consumed by the alarms of NICU,” Melissa said. “I wasn’t thinking about blood results, monitors, breathing, feeds or what the next phone call might bring. I was simply part of something bigger.”
Melissa also had the chance to hold the Lexus Melbourne Cup trophy and meet Robbie Dolan, winner of the 2024 race, whose own story gave her the hope she needed.
“Learning that Robbie had experienced his own journey of having a daughter born at just 25 weeks, and hearing that she was healthy and doing so well, filled me with a sense of hope that I desperately needed,” Melissa said. “It gave me a small sense of reassurance and a reminder that there could be hope beyond those hospital walls.”
The Victoria Racing Club has supported Ronald McDonald House Victoria & Tasmania through Pin & Win, with the charity as the VRC’s partner for the 2024 and 2025 campaigns. The initiative has raised more than $9 million for charities since it began in 1995.
In 2025, Pin & Win aimed to raise enough to fund 4,000 nights of accommodation for families staying near their seriously ill children. The 2024 campaign raised $687,000 for Ronald McDonald House, funding more than 4,125 nights of accommodation.
For Melissa and Nick, the importance of that support is something they know firsthand.
“It’s not just a house,” Melissa said. “It is a place that holds families together when they need it most.”
For 122 days, Ronald McDonald House was part of their family’s life – a place to rest, reconnect, and stay close to Sienna.
Sienna is thriving now. And Melissa and Nick hope that in telling their story, they can help others understand just how much Ronald McDonald House meant to their family – and how much it can mean to the next one.
